Adjacent
by GALEXY-ff
Summary: Whenever a new business moved in next door to Jack's Music, they were never there for much more than a year. Jack could never be sure why. So, when a new business moves in after four months of a vacant lot, Jack immediately starts taking bets with himself on how long the new business owner would last. Basically, and AU where Rhys and Jack own shops next door to each other.
1. Holy Water or Holler

Whenever a new business moved in next door to Jack's Music, they were never there for much more than a year. Jack could never be sure why. It wasn't like he ran the shops out of business, the area of town wasn't crime-ridden, and the space was clean and nice. Everyone just left after a year or so. Which led Jack to believe that the rental space next to his shop was cursed; a somewhat reasonable assumption given the evidence he'd been provided over the last five years.

So, when a new business moves in after four months of a vacant lot, Jack immediately starts taking bets with himself on how long the new business owner would last.

He isn't sure what kind of business it was at first. No sign goes up. Crisp boxes with clean lines of tape drift through the back-loading door and come back out unpacked with no hint as to what came in them. He doesn't see the owner. He can't see through the papered-up windows.

When he comes in the next Monday to open up, a sign has been put up on the building in swirling, turquoise cursive. One work stares down at him—"Silk".

The papers have been taken down from the windows, heavy dark blue drapes hanging in their place. And there the word is again, same font—"Silk"—with hours of operation, a website, and a phone number.

So, it's that kind of store.

He laughs to himself, shaking his head before flipping through his keys to unlock the front door to his store. He pitied the poor woman that decided to set up a lingerie store next door to his music shop.

At first, Jack doesn't notice that the traffic flow to the store had change at all. He was used to having customer's float in and out throughout the day. He was good about not being all that disappointed when he didn't sell any instruments, but people were always coming in for CD's, vinyl, sheet music, or to have their strings changed. He still had some that came in for cassette tapes, and hell, he couldn't blame them. He still listened to tapes in his car.

But it seems like _more_ people were coming in; the kinds of customers he wasn't used to having. He was used to the music snobs, the nitpickers, the indie-rockers. Used to the kids with hair too-long in need of a wash or the ones with tattoos. Alternative, that was his usual scene. But in addition to that, now he was getting girls in their twenties, tittering back and forth as they browsed. Young couples browsing together. Men in ties, asking about guitar prices so they might get one for their kid.

But, most of the time, one of them had a little black bag in hand, blue letters of 'Silk' printed across the side. Was his neighbor somehow attracting more business for him? From a lingerie store? It was bizarre. Whoever this woman was, he felt like he should meet her, at the very least to say thank her for attracting more business.

So that's what he has in mind. He'll catch her around closing time, offer to buy her a drink in thanks, maybe get to know her a little better.

He locks up the store about five minutes early that day. He thinks it might be easier to wait outside, but he's been a little curious about the shop for a while.

So, he goes in.

The shop is different than he expected. See, in the past, Jack had always associated "lingerie store" with "sex store", but this wasn't that at all. Wall to wall, it was lingerie—fancy lingerie—separated by fabric type, then color, then size.

No owner in sight.

"Hello?" Jack calls, stepping further in, wrapping his knuckles against the checkout counter. It's more of a glass case. When he peers down into it, there's jewelry—body chains, belly button rings, little bedazzled screws and bars that he's not sure he wants to know where—

"Sorry, I was just about to close up. Is there something I can help you with?"

Jack looks across the counter where the voice had come from. He must've been so distracted by the little pieces of metal to notice the owner appearing.

His first thought is that "this is not a woman".

His second thought is "oh, fuck, he's cute."

Jack clears his throat. "I'm Jack. I run the shop next door."

The guy smiles. His hair is slicked back off his forehead. He's got a tape measure down his shoulders, almost like a scarf. "Nice to meet you, I'm Rhys."

They shake hands. Rhys squeezes gently and Jack comes away from it feeling like he's been shocked. Of course, a man can run a lingerie store if he wants to, but Jack hadn't been expecting that. More so, he hadn't expected him to be _cute_ of all things.

"So, what brings you in today?" Rhys steps around the counter. His hips sway when he walks. "All our chiffon is twenty percent off. Is there something in particular you're looking for?"

"I—" Then he blinks. "What's chiffon?"

Rhys chuckles to himself. "Well, who are you shopping for?"

"I'm not." Jack shakes his head. "I just came to thank you for all the business you've been sending my way, and I wanted to ask if you wanted to get a drink."

"When?"

"Now."

Rhys smiles apologetically. "As lovely as that sounds, I can't tonight."

"Oh."

"Maybe Saturday?"

Jack acts like he's thinking about it, but Barhopping on a Saturday night was kind of his thing anyways.

"Sure."

"Pick me up at closing time?"

"You got it, cupcake."

Jack didn't realize how long a wait it was from Tuesday to Saturday, and he really wasn't used to waiting. It's Thursday now, and business is slow. He'd like to imagine that Rhys is having a slow day, too.

Jack sits in the back corner of the store, tuning the Blueridge he's had on the back wall for the past few months. He used to be mad that she wasn't selling, but now he's grown sort of attached to her.

"Come on, sweetheart…" He strums again before smiling to himself. "Perfect."

The door chimes and Jack returns the guitar to the rack before turning to the customer and smiling. "Anything I can help you with, sir?"

"Actually." It's a shorter guy with glasses. Dopey smile on his face. "Rhys asked me to drop this off for you." He sets a scrap of fabric on the counter.

Jack looks at the little blue scrap before scooping it up. It's thin, sort of gauzy, but soft. "Um, thanks, but why?"

"He said he couldn't believe that you didn't know what chiffon was." The guy shakes his head, laughing. "I'm Vaughn, by the way."

Jack quirks a brow, folding the chiffon into his pocket. "Did you need something else?"

"Nope." Vaughn shrugs. "Later."

Then he's gone.

Jack shakes his head and goes back to his guitars.

Jack is playing music in the store louder than he usually does. He found one of his old tapes in his car, so naturally he hooks it up in the shop, singing at the top of his lungs because it's a slow day again.

He's on a step stool, dusting off vinyl's.

He's belting out the second verse of Bad Company's "Holy Water" when he hears the door chime open.

"Be with you in a moment!" and then he's singing again, growling out the words as he climbs down before turning and stopping in his tracks.

Rhys is standing there, arms folded across his chest.

"Shouldn't you be at your shop next door?"

"The heavy rock is sort of killing the mood. Not that I mind your singing, but it's not exactly ideal for the kind of store I'm running."

Jack's face flushed as he crossed back to the counter, switching off his stereo. "My bad."

"Still on for tomorrow?" Rhys raises his eyebrow.

"Of course, we are."

"Good, good." Rhys waves over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow night."

Jack feels like he's swallowed an apple whole.


	2. If U Seek Amy or Tainted Love

When Jack goes to lock up the shop the next evening, he half expects Rhys to meet him out in front of their shops. But he doesn't. Jack only waits a moment before walking into the store, bells chiming as the door swings open.

"We're closed!" Rhys calls from somewhere Jack can't see. There's pop pouring from the speakers in the ceiling. Jack doesn't recognize the song, but it feels familiar somehow. Maybe something Angel had listened to before?

"It's me!" Jack called back, leaning against the counter.

"I'll be out in a minute!"

Jack shakes his head, smiling to himself as he tapped his fingers against the glass to the beat of the song. He'd probably have the tune stuck in his head for the rest of the weekend. He hated bubble gum music like this, mostly because they were written with the intention of sticking in your head, but this song did sound familiar. He just couldn't figure out why.

He didn't realize he was humming along until the music switched off and Rhys stepped out from the back room.

"I never took you for the Britney Spears type." Rhys chuckled.

"I—" then Jack caught sight of Rhys and nearly swallowed his own tongue. He looked _good_. He wore a pair of tight, black shorts, garter straps sneaking out from the hem to hold up a pair of sheer, black thigh highs, a pair of boots lacing half way up his calves. He wore a white button up, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and unbuttoned to show a tight, black lace tank top underneath. Jack whistled lowly. "You look very nice."

"I thought I'd change out of my work clothes. I'm glad you like it." Rhys smiled. "Of course, anything works for you as long as you're in that leather jacket." He brushed past Jack, gripping the sleeve of his Jacket before pulling him towards the door. Jack chuckled, following as Rhys led him. Rhys flipped off the main lights, leaving the display lights on, before shutting and locking the door behind him.

"So, are you driving, or am I?" Rhys raised his brows, tucking his keys into his pocket.

"I figured since I asked you out, I'd drive." Jack tucked his hands into his back pockets. "My car's over there."

"Sure." Rhys followed Jack to the car, smiling when Jack opened the door. He slid into the seat and Jack started the car, backing out of the lot.

Rhys immediately went to fiddle with the radio, but Jack caught his wrist.

"Ah, ah, Cupcake. Driver picks the music."

Rhys folded his hands back into his lap. "I figured you'd be a classic rock kind of guy."

Jack chuckled, coming to a stop at the light. "How could you tell?"

"The other day," Rhys grinned. "You were singing Bad Company."

"How'd you know?" something in Jack's chest fluttered. He was cute and he knew classic rock, at least a little. That was two checks yes in Jack's book.

"You think I only listen to pop music?"

"Well, not only apparently." Jack pulling into the lot of the bar. "Is this place okay?"

Rhys peered out the window. "If it's where you want to go."

They got out of the car together, walking inside.

"Hey, Jack." Moxxi waved. "Haven't seen you in over a week. Thought you'd stop coming all together."

"Just been busy is all." Rhys followed Jack up to the bar. "I'll take the usual, please, and what can Moxxi get you to drink, Cupcake?"

"I'll take a dirty martini." Rhys grinned, sliding his hand against Jack's lower back. "And, I have to use the restroom, so I'll be right back."

"I'll be here." Jack watched Rhys go over his shoulder before turning back to Moxxi, who was giving him the slyest look as she filled a pint of Guinness for Jack.

"So, who's he?"

"He rented the space next to my store. He's been bringing me a lot more business, so I thought I owed him a drink."

"He's awful cute." She slid Jack his pint before picking up her martini shaker. "What kind of shop does he run, anyways?"

"Lingerie, real classy joint." Jack took a sip.

"So, is this just a business drink, or…?"

"Not sure yet."

"I've never seen so many stickers in a bathroom stall before." Rhys slid down on the stool next to Jack. "You come here a lot?"

"Oh, yes, all the time." Moxxi slid Rhys his martini and smiled. "Jack's a regular here at the Red Light."

Jack gave her a look over the top of his glass that screamed 'run along'. She laughed to herself before heading down the bar to check on some other patrons.

"So, I figure you know her pretty well." Rhys ran this pointer finger over the rim of his glass.

"Moxxi and I have known each other for quite a while. The Red Light and Jack's Music opened up at about the same time. Local businesses have to stick together." Jack took another sip from his drink. "Speaking of, what got you into running a lingerie store?"

"I wanted to run something different. Lingerie looks good on everyone if they find the right piece, and I've always liked making people happy." Rhys took a sip from his drink and smiled. "You should see someone's face when they find the piece that fits them just right. It's like seeing a kid find out they're going to Disney World."

"I get that. It's kind of like when someone finds that guitar they've been looking for. Though, I bet it happens less at my shop then it does at yours."

"Well, I don't sell guitars."

They both chuckled before taking sips from their drinks.

"So, you're a Guinness guy."

"And you're a dirty martini guy."

"Please." Rhys rolled his eyes. "I'm usually more of an appletini drinker, but I wasn't sure if this was really the place for that."

"Where do you usually end up drinking, then?"

"I'm more of a Pandora man."

"The club on the other side of town?"

Rhys raised his brows. "You not a club kind of guy?"

"Not really my scene, Rhysie." Jack took another drink.

"Seedy bars is your thing, right?" Rhys took a sip from his own drink.

"Always been part of the scene, everywhere I go."

"Leather jackets, classic rock, Guinness, and seedy bars." Rhys smiled to himself. "Dangerous…"

"And?"

"I have a soft spot for dangerous guys."

Jack raised his brows and finished his drink. "Would you mind flagging Moxxi down and ordering me another one? I'm going to go switch the song out on the juke box."

"Sure thing." Rhys winked as Jack slid from his stool and wandered over to the juke box, leafing through the music selection. He clicked D4 and the song started to echo through the bar. He turned and Rhys was behind him, holding Jack's drink.

"Play pool with me?"

"Alright," Jack took his drink and took a sip before setting it on the table near the rack of pool sticks. "You want to make a wager before we start?"

"Sure." Rhys began racking the balls, bent over the table as he rolled the rack. "Hmm…well, if I win I get to pick where we go the next time we go out."

"The next time?" Jack raised a brow as he passed Rhys a pool stick.

"Mhm." Rhys smirked pulling away the rack. "And if you win?"

"If I win…" Jack placed the cue ball. "You let me take you back to my place after this."

Rhys whistled, rounding the table to stand next to Jack, bending over and shooting the cue ball, balls bouncing off the sides in a clean break. "You drive a hard bargain, Jack."

"Take it or leave it, Cupcake." Jack stooped down, striking the cue and sinking the 3 ball in the upper right corner pocket. "But I am pretty good at this game."

He shot again, and the 7 bounced off the side, stopping just short of the left side pocket.

"Well, then I'll just have to take you up on that offer, but I'll have you know." Rhys shot and sank the 12 ball before shooting again and sinking the 9. "So am I."

Jack whistled and watched as Rhys came close, bending down and bushing his rear against Jack's hip. The 15 bounced away from the corner pocket and Jack smirked.

Jack rounded the table and bent to shoot. "How long have you lived in Hollow Point?"

"Just a few months now. I rented out the space a few weeks before I moved down here."

Jack sunk the 7 before rounding to shoot for the 5. "And where are you from?"

"Atlas." Rhys leaned against the wall before taking a sip from Jack's drink and making a face. "How do you drink this?"

"With my mouth." Jack chuckled, watching as the 5 sank in. "What made you come to our shithole of a town, anyways?"

"Wanted to start somewhere new." Rhys rounded the table after Jack missed the 1 with the cue ball. "Atlas wasn't really my scene, anyways."

"Fair enough."

Rhys missed the 13 and straightened back up. "What about you? You lived here your whole life?"

"Well, not my whole life. Just since I was about nineteen."

"What made you move here?"

Jack missed his shot before he straightened up and cleared his throat. "My, at the time, girlfriend."

"Ah." Rhys looked down. "You can shoot again. I kind of messed you up on that one."

"Nah, it's fine." Jack made a 'go ahead' motion with his hands and took a long drink from his Guinness. "You just caught me a little off guard is all."

"Bad break up?" Rhys shot for the 13 again, missing. Jack couldn't tell if it was on purpose or not,

"Something like that." Jack bent and shot for the 2 and sank it before rounding the table. "Can we talk about something else? It's too soon to get into each other's baggage."

"Sure." Rhys exhaled, looking up at the ceiling. "So what made you want to open up a music store?"

"I was sick of seeing people get ripped off for their instruments, myself included." He sank the 1 and rounded the table.

"You play?"

"Of course, I do. Don't think there are any music shop owners that don't." He missed the 4 and leaned back against the wall. "You better catch up soon, Rhysie, or you'll end up going home with me."

"We'll see about that." He sank the 13, then the 15 before rounding to shoot for the 11. "Are you any good?"

"I mostly played in a band when I was younger."

Rhys sank the 10, rounding the table. "And now?"

"I don't play as much, but I still enjoy it when I get the time."

"Well, I'd love to hear you play sometime." Rhys shot for the 11 and missed. He smiled to himself. "Looks like we're about even again."

"Looks like it." Jack finished his drink and walked to set his empty glass on the bar. He crossed back to the table and aimed to shoot for the 4. "Still confident in your skills, Cupcake?"

"You don't scare me, yet." Rhys smirked when Jack missed. "You shouldn't be so cocky; you haven't won just yet."

"Please." Jack smirked right back, watching Rhys as he bent over the table. "Cocky is my middle name."

Rhys sank the 11 and straightened to shoot for the 14. "Maybe you should change it."

"To what?"

Rhys sank the 14. "I haven't decided yet."

Jack whistled. "Looks like you just have one left."

"Looks like it." Rhys smiled over his shoulder at Jack. "Go ahead and take your turn."

Rhys was close enough to kiss. Jack's lips felt chapped. Rhys' eyes were half-lidded, and he reached to set his hand atop Jack's.

"Come on, I haven't won just yet." Rhys laughed, squeezing lightly before stepping away from Jack's hold. "You still might best me yet."

Jack cleared his throat and moved around the table. "Right." He bent to shoot the 6 and sank it. He shot for the 4 and missed.

"Shit." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

Rhys smirked, rounding the table before stooping, lining up the ball. "Top right corner."

"Noted."

Rhys shot the ball and sank the 8.

Rhys won.

He straightened up and smiled. "Well, well, Jack. Looks like I get to pick the next date spot."

"Looks like it, Rhysie." Jack smiled. "That was a good game. It's been a long time since I've played anyone that good."

"Haha! Fuck you too!" Moxxi shouted from behind the bar. Jack and Rhys chuckled as they put away their pool sticks.

"Did you want another drink?"

"I'm good." Rhys smiled, "Thank you, though."

"Do you wanna…" Jack cleared his throat. "Do you wanna get out of here?"

Rhys smiled, reaching over to squeeze Jack's hand. "Okay."

Jack paid their bill and they walked out to the car.

"You're all good to drive?"

"Yeah." Jack nodded. "Just had two, and I drank them slow. I'm good."

"Okay." Rhys smiled when Jack opened the passenger door for him again.

"So, my place, or…?" Jack asked as he started the car.

Rhys chuckled, shaking his head. "Jack, you didn't win, remember?"

"I know, but…"

Rhys reached over, squeezing his hand. "Not on the first date."

"So, this was a date."

"Of course, it was." Rhys laughed. "What did you think it was?"

"Well, I wasn't sure until I saw you bending over that pool table."

Rhys scoffed. "Please, you knew as soon as I stepped out of the back room back at the shop."

Jack pulled out of the parking lot. "Maybe I did."

Rhys squeezed his hand again, threading their fingers together.

Jack turned into the parking lot of their shops.

"I…" Rhys turned himself in the seat. "I had a really nice time with you tonight, Jack."

Jack turned to look at him. "Yeah, this was…This was fun."

"So, next Saturday?" Rhys bit his lip. "I'll drive us after work."

"And, just where are we going?" Jack looked at him. "That club of yours?"

"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" Rhys grinned, unthreading their fingers and reaching for the handle to the car door.

"Hey," Jack caught hold of Rhys's hip.

Rhys stopped, turning to look at him. Jack kept his hand against Rhys' waist, rubbing this thumb in little circles against the lace of his tank top.

"I—"

Rhys closed in the space, setting his hands against Jack's chest. Their mouths pressed together, radio playing in the background, cycling through another song on Jack's mix tape. The same song he'd picked in the bar. Jack brought his other hand up, cupping Rhys' jaw and pulling him closer.

It was gentler than he'd expected it to be. Smooth with just the slightest graze of teeth against his bottom lip when Rhys pulled away, opening his eyes to look at him, their noses brushing together.

Rhys made a small laugh in the back of his throat, sliding his hands down Jack's chest before pulling away. "I'll see you Monday, Jack."

Jack cleared his throat, retracting his hands from Rhys slowly. "Yeah. I'll see you Monday."

Then Rhys got out of the car, walking with a delicate sway of the hips back to his own. Jack couldn't stop smiling on his way back home.


	3. Please Let Me Get What I Want or Sugar

Jack is in the middle of fixing his display of guitar strings behind the counter midday Wednesday when Rhys walks in.

"You know, I didn't get a very good look at the shop when I came in to gripe at you before, but it's actually really nice in here."

Jack looks at Rhys over his shoulder, smiling to himself and shaking his head before going back to his string display. "Shouldn't you be next door fitting someone for a corset or something?"

"Nah, Vaughn's got it. I'm on lunch break."

"So that little guy works for you." Jack finished, turning around to give Rhys his full attention. "What brings you over here?"

"I took a guess." Rhys held up a bag with two take out containers. "Moo goo gai pan?"

"A man after my own heart." Jack rolled his eyes. "You didn't have to buy me lunch."

"I was already there, and I thought of you." Rhys shrugged, setting the bag on the counter. "And you can totally have it, if—"

Jack's eyebrows shot up to his hairline, "I'm sorry? If?"

"If," Rhys continues. "You promise to play me a song."

"You really want it bad, don't you?"

"Please, Jack?"

The smell of Chinese made Jack's stomach gurgle. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Fine, I will play you a song _after_ we eat."

"And if you eat and go back on your word, I'll never forgive you." Rhys said solemnly, heterochromatic eyes wide and severe.

Jack laughed, pulling a pair of chairs and collapsible table from behind the counter. "I won't."

"You better not." Rhys helped Jack set the table and chairs before bringing the take out over and pulling it from the bag.

Jack walked to the door. He usually didn't close the shop for lunch, because he usually didn't take a lunch break. But he'd make an exception today. It was a slow day anyways. He turned the sign from open to closed and came to sit across from Rhys.

"So, how'd you guess my usual?"

"Facebook." Rhys smirked, cracking the lid on his food and taking a pair of chopsticks into his left hand. "I'm not that good a guesser."

"I didn't know you were left-handed." Jack commented, taking his first bite.

"What?"

"You're eating with your left hand. I guess I didn't really notice that you were left-handed last night."

"Oh." Rhys curled his fingers around his chopsticks, biting his lower lip. "Right."

For a moment, Jack thinks he's said the wrong thing, though he isn't sure how commenting on someone's dominant hand would be wrong. Rhys' face indicates something else, though.

Jack clears his throat, back pedaling a bit. "So, what did you get for lunch?"

"Cashew chicken." Rhys smiles, back to normal.

"Prefer more of a nutty taste?"

Rhys shook his head, laughing. "Why are you a walking innuendo?"

"Please, you love it, Cupcake."

"Unfortunately." Rhys smiled. "I do."

They fell into a comfortable silence, eating and making polite eye contact every so often. It was nice, and a little weird if Jack was honest about it. He wasn't used to being so comfortable with anyone he's hardly known before. Hell, he was hardly comfortable with people he _did_ know. And then there was Rhys.

"So I've been thinking about where we're going to go for this second date." Rhys rolled a piece of chicken with the end of his chopsticks.

"Yeah?"

"I want to put a little thought into it." Rhys smiled. "Not something lame like a seedy bar on the edge of town."

"Yeah, how lame would that be." Jack rolled his eyes, but a smile stayed firmly fixed on his face. "So, are you gonna run those ideas by me, or—"

"Of course, not. It's a surprise." Rhys smirked, leaning closer to Jack from across the table. "I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about it."

"You're a real tease, Rhysie, y'know?"

Rhys chuckled. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. You are." Jack shut the lid of his container. "Still want that song?"

"Of course." Rhys was practically bouncing in his chair— _oh, that was an image_.

Jack shook his head rounding the counter, reaching up for the Blueridge on her rack. "I don't take requests, so you have to deal with what I decide to play."

"Fine." Rhys huffed, jokingly, watching as Jack carried the guitar back to his seat. He ran plucked at the strings a few times, making sure that she was still in tune.

"So what are you going to play?" Rhys leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest and crossing his ankles.

"Figure it out."

And that was all the warning Rhys got before Jack started thrumming out notes.

It wasn't a very long song, but Rhys did recognize it. It was one that he'd listened to in high school, headphones as loud as they would go. Jack's voice was a little gruffer than he expected it to be, but it sounded good with the smooth notes of the guitar. Rhys' throat went dry while he watched Jack play—eyes closed in concentration.

When he finished, he thrummed out the last few notes and opened his eyes. "There, ha—"

But he stopped because of the way Rhys was looking at him.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

Rhys smiled, shaking his head and wiping at the side of his face. "Yeah, I love The Smiths."

"You do?"

"Yeah." Rhys got up, rounding the table and setting his hand on the neck of the guitar, gently pushing until Jack set it on the floor. Rhys slid into Jack's lap, setting his hands on his shoulders.

"Hi." Jack sat his hands on Rhys' waist.

"Hi." Rhys replied, brushing his nose against Jack's.

This kiss was different than the one in the car. Rhys cupped Jack's jaw with one hand, squeezing his shoulder with the other. Rhys let out a small whine in the back of his throat before he pulled away, resting his forehead against Jack's.

"If I'd known playing for you would get you so riled, I'd have done it for you sooner."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" They both chuckled and Rhys ran his thumb along Jack's lower lip before sliding off his lap. "I should probably get back to work."

Jack caught Rhys' wrist and pressed a kiss to his knuckle before letting it go.

"Perhaps we should move our date to Friday instead?" Rhys raised his brows in question.

Jack thought for a second before nodding. "Yeah, I can swing Friday."

"Perfect." Rhys smiled. "See you then."

The door swung closed behind him.

"So, you have a date Friday?" Angel walked back into the kitchen, carrying the dirty dishes from dinner.

"Yeah."

"Same guy from last week?"

"Yeah."

"Is he cute?"

Jack shook his head, proceeding to load this dishwasher. "Aren't you supposed to be all weirded out that your old man is dating?"

"Please," Angel rolled her eyes. "Mom dates all the time. If I was gonna get weirded it would have happened by now. So, are you gonna tell me about him or not?"

"Don't you have homework to get done?"

Angel laughed and crossed to the fridge to pull out a pint of cookie dough ice cream. "I finished it when I got here."

"When did you get so grown up?"

She pulled out a spoon and hopped on the counter. "Not grown up yet. Just tell me about your boyfriend."

"He isn't my boyfriend, he's just…"

"This guy you're going on more than one date with?" Angel giggled, swinging her legs, spoon hanging out of her mouth. "He's basically you're boyfriend."

"Look, I was just telling you so you'd know I wouldn't be home until late. But don't get any crazy ideas."

"If I did, I'd get them from my father."

Jack was wiping down the counter when the bell for door chimed.

"So I was thinking you could drive?" Rhys turned the open sign around to closed. "But you have to let me pick the music this time."

Jack chuckled, finishing shining the counter before tossing the rag over his shoulder. "What's the point of having me drive if you pick the music."

"Well, I took a cab to work today, so…"

Jack looked up at Rhys and saw him smiling, biting his lower lip. This outfit was a different kind of swallow your tongue. Tight gray trousers with the shirt tucked in, top few buttons undone. Sleeves rolled up, like before, but a pair of suspenders hanging loose from his waist. Jack had tried a little harder this time, dark blue button up that Angel had gotten him for Father's Day underneath his usual leather jacket.

"Well, what kind of music are you wanting?"

"I, uh, made you something." Rhys reached into his back pocket and produced a tape.

Jack blinked, shaking his head in disbelief before laughing to himself. "You made me a mix tape?"

"Don't laugh!" But Rhys was smiling, one hand in his back pocket. "It was a lot of trouble. I had to find my old tape recorder and—"

"I love it."

"You haven't even heard it yet."

Jack tossed his rag into the corner, coming around and taking Rhys' hand in his. "Just get in the car and play it for me Rhys."

Rhys smiled, leaning in to kiss Jack's cheek before pulling them out the door. "Okay."


	4. Sweet or I'll Try Anything Once

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Jack asked, driving through downtown Hollow Point. They were half way through the mix tape Rhys had made, the current song playing smooth and sleepily through the car.

"You'll see when we get there." Rhys grinned, tapping his hand against his thigh. "Turn left on Stauder Street."

Jack did, thrumming his fingers against the wheel. "How close are we?"

"We're almost there."

Jack nodded and continued, watching the road as he went.

"Relax." Rhys reached over, setting his hand on Jack's knee.

"I'm not nervous." Jack bounced his other knee.

Rhys chuckled and pointed. "Alright, pull into that little parking space there. I won't judge you based on your parallel parking skills."

Jack pulled into the parking space with ease, only ending up a little crooked and turned off the car.

Rhys slid his hand from Jack's knee and got out of the car. Jack followed, rounding and looking up at the sign.

" _Sasha's_?" Jack turned to look at him. "Okay, seeing the sign doesn't answer my question."

Rhys laughed, taking Jack's arm. "Well, come inside with me."

Jack wasn't used to letting other people lead. He was used to being the leader. It had been that way for most of his life, yet here he was, letting Rhys take the lead for the second time in a row today.

 _What's happening to me?_

Rhys pulled open the door and they walked in together.

"Oh, hey Rhys." A girl looked up from the front desk, smiling. "Two, right?"

"You remembered, how sweet." Rhys walked up to the counter and handed the girl his credit card.

"I do take notes when people call." She swiped his card before handing him a pair of tickets.

"Thank you, Sasha."

"The gallery is pretty empty, so it should be pretty quiet."

"We won't cause a ruckus, I promise." Rhys winked at her before turning and taking Jack's hand, leading him down the hall.

"A gallery?" Jack quirked an eyebrow, following Rhys. "You brought me to a gallery?"

"What's wrong with galleries?"

"Like, paintings?"

"Not only paintings." Rhys smiled, squeezing his hand. "I wouldn't bring you here if I'd think you didn't like it." Rhys pulled open a door and held it open. "Just, trust me, okay?"

"Okay." Jack walked through, still holding Rhys' hand.

The door swung closed behind them and Jack let out a low whistle. A spiraling red and orange glass sculpture hung from the ceiling. In fact, the room was filled with sculptures. Some metal, some plastic, some of twisting glass. Paintings lined the walls, filled with bright splotches and swirls of color.

"How'd you find this place?" Jack asked, letting go of Rhys' hand and wondering to the middle of the room to look up at the chandelier made of flame colored glass.

"Oh, Sasha and I grew up together, in Atlas. I moved here a few years after she did."

"Grew up together?"

"Yeah, she lived on my block. We used to ride our bikes together. Studied in each other's rooms after school. That kind of thing."

"You wouldn't have a picture of you two all small, would you?"

Rhys elbowed him lightly. "We're here to look at art, not pictures on my phone."

"Right, right." Jack walked further into the room to look at an owl made from scrap metal. They looked almost like car parts, welded together with a blowtorch. The eyes were made from the glass for taillights, sharp and red. He decided to keep walking, this time looking at an octopus made from acrylic nails—the tentacles all striped with different colors. The painting on the wall between the two sculptures was something Angel would have liked. It was inky black, with different neon colors feathered around the edges. Thin white lines zigzagged across the middle.

He looked at it a few moments more before Rhys came close, threading his left hand through Jack's right.

"Do you like this one?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Why do you like it?"

Jack turned to look at Rhys. He was very close, smile creeping up to the corners of his eyes. Jack smiled back before turning to look at the painting.

"It reminds me of my daughter."

Without missing a beat, Rhys squeezed his hand. "How so?"

"These are the colors she likes." He gestured to the feathered edges. "And she wants tattoos, feathered like this."

"That would be pretty, I think."

"She thinks so, too." Jack squeezed Rhys' hand.

"Do you want to see my favorite?"

Jack nodded. "Okay, sure."

Rhys led him to the opposite side of the room to a sculpture that loomed over them both. It was a tree made from silver and gold plastic apples.

"It's one of Sasha's." Rhys grinned up at the sculpture. "She's sold all the rest, so this is the only one she keeps at the gallery anymore."

"I didn't know she was an artist."

"A lot of people in the trade are. But it's not my favorite just because she did it."

"Then, why is it your favorite?"

"You know the expression 'the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree'?"

"Yeah."

"Well, in this case the apples _are_ the tree."

"You must be pretty close with your family."

"Nothing like that." Rhys shook his head. "I think of it more as you are your own tree."

Jack rolled his eyes but squeezed Rhys' hand. "You're hopeless."

After a while, Rhys led Jack up a spiral staircase.

"Where are we going now?"

"There's a little café upstairs." Rhys grinned. "Sasha's sister owns it."

Jack thought about it a moment before nodding. "Coffee would be nice." Jack caught the door and held it open. "But I'm buying because you already paid for the gallery tickets."

"Fine." Rhys rolled his eyes and walked in, not letting go of Jack's hand. "What do you want?"

"What do _you_ want?"

Rhys chuckled and elbowed him. "Oh, c'mon. Just pick something."

Jack scanned then menu. "Caramel macchiato. Happy?"

"That sounds good." Rhys bit his lip in thought. "Oh, they have cake. Do you want to split a piece?"

"Sure." He pulled a few bills from his wallet and pressed them into Rhys' hand. "I'll go find a table, okay?"

"Sure." Rhys grinned walk walked up to the counter to order, tucking one hand in his back pocket.

Jack found a table in the back corner, tucking himself in with his back to the wall. He let out a sigh and pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. It was a quarter until nine.

 _Angel's probably watching TV right now_.

"It's rude to be on your phone while you're out with someone."

"I was just checking the time." He slid his phone back into his pocket.

Rhys smiled setting an identical pair of cups on the table along with a small slice of cake, berries on the top.

"Sorry this isn't your usual scene." Rhys sat down, curling his fingers around his cup.

"No, no, change of pace is good." Jack picked up his cup, blowing away the steam. "This is really what you do in your free time?"

"When I'm not at work." Rhys took a sip. "I'm in that shop all the time, even when it's closed."

"Lots of sewing?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." Rhys chuckled shaking his head. "I've gone home with sewing pins in my pants more times than I'd like to admit."

"None right now, though, right?"

Rhys chuckled. "None right now."

"Good." Jack smirked before taking a sip from his own mug.

"So, you have a daughter?" Rhys smiled. "Do you have a picture?"

"Thought it was rude to have your phone out."

"Oh, c'mon, Jack. Please?"

Jack shook his head, chuckling. He slid his phone from his pocket and unlocked the screen before holding it out to Rhys.

His home screen was a picture she'd taken of the two of them on his couch—her dark hair pulled into a ponytail, reading glasses on the end of her nose. They'd been watching Ink Master. It was Angel's favorite.

"She's got your eyes." Rhys smiled, "well, the blue one at least".

"Ha ha." Jack locked the phone and slid it back into his pocket.

"How old is she, anyways?"

"Sixteen." Jack smiled to himself. "It's hard to believe. Seems like she just started walking yesterday."

"Wow, you're old." Rhys chuckled.

"Please, I was only twenty when she was born. Besides, how old are you, anyways?"

"It's rude to ask a lady her age."

"Lucky for me, you aren't a lady."

Rhys took another sip, smiling around his mug. "Thirty-one."

"I'm not that much older than you." Jack rolled his eyes. Then he looked at the cake slice. "You only got one fork."

"I figured we could share."

"What if I'm a germaphobe?"

"Then I guess it's my slice of cake." Rhys picked up the fork and took a bite, not breaking eye contact with Jack as he slid the fork form his mouth.

"Oh, c'mon, share."

Rhys smirked, cutting another bite before holding it out to Jack. "Say 'Ah'."

Jack rolled his eyes and opened his mouth, letting Rhys feed him.

Rhys smiled, eyes half lidded. "Well?"

"S'Good."

"Do you want to come to my place after?"

Jack swallowed thickly before smirking up at Rhys. "Sure thing, Rhysie."


	5. Love Bites or Buttons

Rhys' apartment actually wasn't all that far from the gallery—about a fifteen minute drive.

The mix tape was rewinding in the stereo. Their fingers were threaded together, curled against Jack's thigh.

"Did you have a good time?" Rhys asked.

Jack nodded. "It was different, but I liked."

Rhys smiled, squeezing Jack's hand before pointing. "Just turn in there. You can park next to my car."

Jack nodded, turning into the lot and pulling into Rhys' little blue Civic. Rhys got out first, sliding his hand from Jack's. Jack pulled out his phone, typing a quick text to Angel that he'd probably be late, before getting out, following Rhys into the building.

It was a nice building. Tall and wide windows stretching up into the sky. Rhys looped their arms together, leading Jack to the elevator.

Jack let out a low whistle. "You really live here?"

"Yeah." Rhys squeezed his arm, leaning his head onto Jack's shoulder. Jack smiled, pulling Rhys into the elevator what it opened.

"5th floor." Rhys only pulled away a bit to push the button before Jack pulled him back in close, sliding his hand down Rhys' back.

"Woah, woah." Rhys caught his hand, chucking. "We aren't even in my apartment yet."

Jack smirked, tipping his head to the side. "Not even a kiss?"

Rhys giggled, _fucking giggled_ , and wrapped his arms around Jack's shoulders, pulling them tight together. "You're so impatient."

"If you'd stop being so…"

Rhys raised his brows, tangling his fingers in Jack's hair. "So…"

The elevator door dinged open before Jack could answer him. Rhys pulled him from the elevator, hands still tangled in his hair for a moment before he fished the keys out of his pocket.

 _He's such a tease. Why do I like him so much?_

Rhys unlocked the door, pulling Jack inside by the lapels of his coat.

"Do you want a drink, or anything?"

"I'm good." Jack caught Rhys by his waist before he could scamper off.

Rhys laughed again, tipping his head to the side, letting Jack run kisses along his neck. He tangled his fingers up in Jack's hair again, lips parting when he let out a small gasp.

Jack couldn't get over how _good_ Rhys smelled—like amber and sandalwood. His hands came to rest on Rhys' hips. These pants were tight on him, hugged him in the best way. Well, he did say he was good at sewing.

"Mmm…Jack?" Rhys slid one hand to Jack's chest, pressing gently. "Can we maybe not do this in the hallway?"

"Yeah…" Jack breathed out against his neck, nipping gently before looking into his eyes—soft and brown. "where…?"

"Couch?"

Jack smiled at the thought of making out on Rhys' expensive couch like a couple of teenagers. "Yeah, okay."

Rhys led Jack by his wrist, pushing him gently onto the white leather of the sofa before climbing onto his lap, brushing their noses together, like how he'd done back in the music store earlier that week.

"Hi…" Rhys whispered, sliding his hands down Jack's chest beneath his jacket.

"Hi," Jack whispered back, nipping at Rhys' jaw. He untucked Rhys' shirt, pulling the material from his slacks easily. He went back to peppering Rhys' neck with kisses, undoing the buttons down Rhys's shirt until it hung open at his chest.

"Jack." Rhys half-whined, half-pressed Jack's shoulder, gingerly pushing him to stop.

Jack did, looking up at him, brows raised. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, um." Rhys bit his lower lip, setting his hands on either of Jack's shoulders. "Everything is fine, just…" He let out a hard sigh, closing his eyes, brows furrowed in concentration.

"Hey." Jack sat up a little, reaching to cup Rhys' jaw with both hands. "It's okay, cupcake. Don't get all bent out of shape."

Rhys chuckled, setting his hand—only the left one—atop one of Jack's. "Um, when you take off my shirt, I have a pretty…peculiar scar, and…" He sighed hard again, shaking his head. "Well, let's just say I wasn't always left handed."

And then he shrugged his shirt off so Jack could see what he was talking about.

Rhys was right, there was a scar, running in a faded white circle around his right shoulder socket. Jack never noticed that the tone of Rhys skin was different along his right arm, but he'd also never had this direct of a comparison before. But now he's noticing that Rhys always sits to his right, so he's only ever held Rhys' left hand. That his right hand moved just a little slower, but nothing that he wouldn't consider out of the ordinary for a non-dominant hand.

Oh.

 _Oh._

"I was in an accident when I was younger." He curled and uncurled his fingers carefully. This is the most realistic looking skin one of my prototypes has had before, but…" he bit his lip. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

"Why would it bother me?" Jack raised his brows. He set his hand on Rhys' chest, sliding it up to his shoulder before looking back up at Rhys in a silent question. Rhys nodded and Jack trailed his fingers along the scar.

"Pretty convincing, right?" Rhys laughed nervously, watching Jack trace down his bicep, to his wrist, then over his hand.

"Can you feel any-?"

"Not really." Rhys shrugged. "I still get phantom pains sometimes, and that shit is weird. Other than that, it just works fine. Since it's all parts under here, I can't really get skin grafts, but—"

"Rhys." Jack threads their fingers together, both sets of their hands knotted between them. "You look beautiful."

Rhys' face flushed. "You mean it?"

"I do." Jack grinned lazily up at him before pressing a kiss along his scar. "It doesn't bother me a bit, babe."

Rhys grinned to himself, unlacing their fingers so he could push Jack's jacket off his shoulders before they were kissing, open mouthed and slick. And just like that, Jack is letting Rhys lead again, for now at least. He lets him grind the fabric of his slacks and Jack's jeans together while he works open the buttons of Jack's shirt. Lets him sink his teeth into Jack's lower lip. Doesn't stop him when he starts sliding off Jack's lap to kiss down the middle of his chest and pop the button on Jack's jeans.

Of course, this is the moment Jack's phone decided to ring.

Jack let out a groan, arching himself up to fish it from his pocket. Rhys leaned his head against Jack's thigh, still on his knees, looking up at him.

"You and that phone, I swear." Rhys chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's Angel." Jack sighed, pressing the answer key and holding it up to his ear. "Is everything okay?"

"Um, yeah, totally." She sounded frustrated. "I definitely did not just have the sink faucet and knob break off in my hand, and there totally isn't water leaking all over the kitchen."

He ran his hand over his face. "Did you try turning the sink off?

"Well, gee, Dad, if the knob would reattach, that might not be such a bad idea."

"Just…" His hand scrubbed up into his hair. "Just call the landlord, I'll head that way right now."

"Okay." She grumbled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your hot date, but—"

"It's fine, kiddo." It took all of his mental effort not to sigh out loud, because Rhys was _this close_ to—he shook his head. "I'll be there in about thirty minutes."

"Okay, love you Dad."

"Love you, too, Angel." He hung up, tossing his phone onto the couch cushion with a groan.

"You have to go, huh?" Rhys pulled himself up, sitting next to Jack.

He refastened his jeans, picking his shirt off the ground. "Yeah, I am so fucking sorry. It's just that the sink is exploding and—"

"It's okay." Rhys kissed just beneath Jack's ear, reaching to help him rebutton his shirt. "Go be her hero, save the day."

He pulled on his Jacket, standing up and pressing a kiss to Rhys' forehead. "Raincheck?"

"You have to buy me dinner first." Rhys smiled up at him. "And then maybe I'll take you up on it."

"Deal." Jack grinned, ruffling Rhys' hair. "Again, I am so—"

"Just go." Rhys stood, laughing and pushing Jack towards the door. "You're sink is exploding, remember?"

"Right, yeah." Jack nodded. "Um, see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Rhys nodded, pecking another quick kiss to Jack's mouth. "See you."


	6. Wild Thing or Umbrella

When Jack woke up the next morning, he had a headache. The landlord still wasn't up by the time he'd gotten home, and he and Angel ended up waiting a few hours for him to show. Damage control on the kitchen hadn't been easy. They'd managed to contain the water enough to prevent any water damage—or at least, stop any preexisting conditions from spreading.

He really needed to move into a new place. This one always felt like it was falling apart. Sure, he'd known the building was old when he moved in, but the ever-growing mound of TLC was getting out of control. Last month it had been the weird smell in the laundry room. Last Christmas, the great mouse infestation. The fourth of July before that the air conditioner went out for two weeks. Then there were the creaky pipes in the spring that kept both him an Angel up at all hours, but no one else in the building could hear. Jack wanted to say enough was enough, but the stress of moving after three years hung over his shoulder like a neon sign reading _impending doom_.

By the time he crawled into bed and fell asleep, it felt like he'd only just shut his eyes when the alarm went off.

He grumbled, reaching for the clock and pressing snooze, curling under his blankets. Thankfully, the sun wasn't streaming in.

He really needed to hire a second hand at the shop, then he might be able to sleep in on a Saturday for once. He debated even going in, but Saturday was his busiest day of the week, and with the increased traffic Rhys' store had been bringing in, he couldn't afford to close the shop over lack of sleep, and he couldn't send Angel in to run the shop alone. That would have just been bad parenting. He'd just have to get coffee on his way to work.

When his alarm screamed out a second time, he sat up, squinting as he turned it off. He realized upon closer inspection that the sun wasn't streaming in because it was, in fact, raining outside.

His shower was cold, because of course it was. When he made his way into the kitchen, tugging his favorite yellow sweater on over his head, he found Angel curled up on the couch, blanket twined around her.

"Angel, honey, wake up." He shook her shoulder gently. "It's Saturday, we have to get to the shop."

"What part of this equation involves 'we'?" She pulled the blanket tighter over her. "You go."

"Angel, if you don't work, you don't get paid. That's the rule."

"Too tired to worry about money." She groaned. "I call in sick."

"You aren't sick, I can see you."

"Daaaaaaad!" She poked her head out from beneath the blanket to glare at him. "I'll head over in a few hours. Please just let me sleep."

He thought about just making her get up. Arguing that if _he_ had to get up, so did she. But she was giving him the _if looks could kill_ glare this morning, and he really didn't want to mess with that right now.

"Fine, but it's raining today, so you're taking the bus, not your bike."

"Sure." She pulled her blanket back over her head. "See you in a while."

He nodded, patting her head before grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

His coffee was gone before he even got into the shop. As he dropped the empty cup into the trash can, he immediately regretted not getting a bigger cup.

"Someone's running a little late this morning."

He turned, and there was Rhys, folding up his little blue umbrella while he worked his keys in the door to get his shop opened up.

"You're usually here before me." He smiled. "How did everything go with the faucet last night?"

Jack groaned, unlocking his own door. "I don't even want to talk about it."

"That bad, huh?" Rhys raised his brow.

Jack nodded, forcing the door open and tucking his keys back into his pocket. He'd completely forgotten his umbrella. Thankfully, it wasn't pouring yet, so he wasn't soaked, just uncomfortably damp.

"Why don't you come in for a cup of coffee?"

Jack felt his _actual_ ears perk up. "You have a coffee machine in your shop?"

Rhys chuckled. "Yeah, Vaughn tends to get cranky throughout the day, so it was a joint purchase."

"Oh, thank you thank you thank you." Jack locked the door back to his shop and pressed his forehead into Rhys' shoulder before pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth while Rhys pushed the door open.

Rhys laughed shutting the door behind them and walking to the back to hang up his umbrella and keys. "If I had known caffeine was the price of your affection—"

"Only on certain days, cupcake. This just happens to be one of them."

Rhys laughed again, and Jack noted mentally that Rhys must be a morning person to be this chipper. That, or he was a total sadist. Jack couldn't decide which was worse.

"Do you want an espresso, or—"

"Yes." Jack reply-groaned. "As long at it is _strong_."

Jack could picture Rhys shaking his head, fixing cups of coffee. He was imaging him in a little apron for some reason, like he was a barista—little nametag an all.

"It'll take a little bit for the coffee to brew." Rhys came back, peeling out of his coat to reveal his usual turtle neck, slacks, and tape measure.

"Seriously, you're a saint."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Rhys shook his head. "I do own a lingerie store, after all."

"Yeah, explain it all to me."

"I already told you—"

"Not why you picked it. How do you tell what would look good one someone? Like, what makes you know what someone is looking for?"

"Well," Rhys steeples his fingers walking past Jack to round one of his racks. "Quite a few people are forward with what they're looking for. They'll come in knowing exactly what they want, and I simply direct them there. Other people…aren't quite as sure."

"And you just look at them and know?"

Rhys wrinkles his nose in a laugh. "Not exactly. Usually I'll ask what parts of their body they like, and I'll work to accentuate those. Color and fabric aren't all that hard to parse out, plus I have plenty in the back for custom work."

"So, you aren't like a telepathic lingerie super fashion designer?"

Rhys really laughs this time. "No, just a consultant and a seamstress."

"Alright, I'll bite. Do me."

Rhys sets a hand on his hip and turns to Jack, grinning. "You don't strike me as the type to wear lingerie, Jack. No offense."

"Okay, but theoretically. If I walked into your store and was like 'suit me up', what would you put me in?"

"Hm…" Rhys came closer, looking Jack up and down as he rounded him, hand on his chin. "Well, nothing too frilly or lacy. And nothing too…well, let's just say I wouldn't be putting you in much at all."

"Why is that?"

"You come across as very confident, so I don't think there's much you'd be looking to hide." Rhys tipped his head to the side. "Maybe leather?"

Something in Jack's back tingled.

"Possibly latex, but we'd start simple. How opposed are you to straps?"

"Straps?"

"Usually for bondage, but they can be purely aesthetic, too."

Jack felt like he'd swallowed an egg. "I'll try anything once, Cupcake."

"Thought you might say that…hm…" Rhys walked around him again. "Maybe some little leather—probably synthetic—shorts. A few straps here" he ran his hand across Jack's chest, "and here. Silver O rings to hold them in place. Maybe a matching collar to top it all off."

"Do I strike you as a leather daddy?" Jack quirked a brow, catching Rhys' hand, threading their fingers together.

"I feel like anyone could be anything under the right circumstances." Rhys squeezed Jack's fingers in his, pulling away when the coffee machine beeped.

He came back a few moments later with a matching pair of dark grey mugs.

"And what would you put yourself in?" Jack asked, curling his fingers around his mug.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rhys winked before taking a sip.

"Why else would I ask?"

"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you."

Jack smirked, taking a sip from his own mug. "I guess I will."


	7. A Well Respected Man or New Perspective

"And he made coffee for you?" Angel quirked a brow, looking up from last month's issue of _Inked_.

"Yeah." Jack was running over this month's numbers, typing them into a calculator and jotting them down with a pencil. It might have been Saturday, but the rain was making business exceptionally slow. They'd only had three or so people come in, and none of them had bought a thing.

"Wow, he has got it bad." She giggled, setting her magazine down before fishing her sketchbook from her backpack.

"Angel—"

"No, it's cute." She started doodling, tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth. "He sounds like a real gentleman, Dad."

"I mean…yeah…" Jack smiled. "He is."

"So do I get to meet him ever? Or is he like all of mom's boyfriends?"

"We've only been on two dates, Kiddo."

" _But_ you haven't had sex yet, so he's got to be important."

"Can we not talk about my sex life?"

Angel giggled, tucking her pencil into her ponytail before pulling out one of her pens and uncapping it with her teeth. "Do you have another date planned?"

"Not yet. We were interrupted before we could."

She laughed again. "I can't control exploding faucets, Dad."

"I know. Just picked a hell of a time." He shook his head before setting his pencil down, craning his neck to see what she was up to. "What're you working on?"

She held up the drawing. Flowers and leaves swooping in an elegant curve. She'd written "shoulder/upper arm" in her neat but crooked print at the top of the page. "Flowers never seem to go out of style."

"That looks really good." He took the book delicately to study it closer. "The linework is sharp."

"Okay, sure." She rolled her eyes and took the book back. "It's not quite neat enough."

"It looks great, Angel."

"But not perfect." Her tongue poked back out.

Jack shook his head and tapped his fingers against the counter. There was no other way to put it, he was fucking bored. He wished someone would come in.

And like that his prayers were answered.

"I thought you might want a second cup, midday crash and all."

Well, almost.

Rhys smiled, holding two cups in hand.

Angel looked up smiled then put the cap back on her pen.

"Oh, Rhys, that's um—"

"You don't have to say anything." He sat the cup on the counter, turning to look at Angel returning her smile.

"You must be Angel."

"You must be Rhys."

"Do you want me to grab another cup from next door?"

"Nah." She picked up her can of Peace Tea and shook it lightly. "I'm all covered."

Jack swallowed. This isn't how he expected this to go, but it seemed to be going well. Except for the fact that he hadn't said anything. Rhys looked up at him over the rim of his mug before taking a sip.

Angel elbowed him in the ribs. "Dad, say something."

"Um, business sure is slow today, isn't it?"

 _Nice._

Angel rolled her eyes, picking up her pencil to shade her drawing.

"I think it's the rain." Rhys shook his head. "And on a Saturday, too. It's just the worst."

"Haven't made a sale today."

"I've only made two."

Jack took a sip from his coffee and Rhys turned his attention back to Angel, still smiling.

"Jack didn't mention that you were an artist."

"Not yet." She shook her head.

"Well, artist in progress then." Rhys took another sip before setting his mug down. "May I see?"

She stopped her pencil, thinking about it for a moment. Jack was certain she'd say no, but then she held out the book and Rhys took in gingerly, studying the image.

"Wisteria." He smiled. "They're beautiful."

"Thanks." She held her hand out and took the book back.

His eyes flitted to the magazine and her print at the top of the page. "You want to be a tattoo artist?"

"I think so." Her tongue was poking out again as she shaded her drawing. "Everyone at school thinks it's stupid."

"It's not stupid, kiddo." Jack set his hand on her back.

She rolled her eyes. "You have to say that, you're my dad."

"I don't think it's stupid at all, Angel." Rhys smiled, leaning forward on the counter. "And I'm not saying that because I just met you, either."

"Okay." Angel sounded like she didn't believe him, but she still smiled.

Rhys turned back to Jack. "Do you have plans tonight?"

"Um, go to Home Depot for a replacement sink, get pizza and watch…." He turned to Angel. "What movies did you say, kiddo?"

" _Juno_ and _Jennifer's Body_. It's Diablo Cody night."

"Right, Diablo Cody night." _Whatever that means_ , Jack thought.

"Oh, that sounds like fun. I'm sure you'll have a good time with that."

"You can come if you want." Angel looks up. "Do you like homemade popcorn?"

"Who doesn't?"

Angel grinned. "Good Answer."

Jack looked between Angel and Rhys a little awestruck.

"We also wear pajamas on movie nights."

"Sounds like a plan." Rhys smiled at Jack. "Do you want me to just come over to your place at…"

"Eight." Angel nodded.

"Eight works." Jack nodded, agreeing with her.

"Eight sounds perfect." Rhys smiled, reaching to squeeze Jack's hand.

Rhys stayed until their coffee mugs were empty, then returned to his own shop next door.

"And that's how you do it." Angel held up her drawing, looking extremely pleased with herself.

"I didn't need help."

"Okay." She rolled her eyes and turned to a new page. "But you can say thank you, now."

He shook his head.

"He is cute, though. I can see why you like him." Angel started sketching.

Jack smiled, looking back over his numbers before tucking his hands into his pockets. "Yeah."


	8. Salted Wound or I'm On Fire

Jack and Angel end up spending way longer at Home Depot then he thought they would. Apparently, their sink was a weird size, which made it hard to find the right part, and they ended up having to drive from Hollow Point to Prosperity Junction just to find the right size faucet.

"At least it isn't an ugly faucet." Angel said, sitting cross-legged on the counter, watching Jack as he tried to fit the new faucet in the place of the old fixture. She'd called for pizza then changed into her pajamas as soon as they'd gotten home. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, glasses on the end of her nose, Hello Kitty pajama pants with a Panic! at the Disco tank top and Jack Skellington slippers.

"Yeah, too bad it doesn't match anything else in the kitchen." Jack went to tighten one of the knobs. Luckily this one went on a little easier.

"Does anything in this place go together, really?"

He laughed. "You're right, kiddo."

There was a knock on the door.

"That must be the pizza guy. Angel, there's—"

"Money in the bowl, I know." She hopped off the counter, fishing out bills before pulling the door open.

"Oh, hey, Rhys."

Jack jumped, twisting the knob a bit too far and causing water to squirt up into his face before he promptly loosened it to make it stop.

"You okay, Dad?"

"Yeah!" He called wiping his hands on his jeans. "I'm fine."

Shit, was it already eight?

"Sorry, we're running a little behind." Angel let's Rhys in. "The pizza isn't here yet, and Dad is still fixing the sink."

"It's okay." Rhys walked in, bag on his shoulder, also already in pajamas and Jack couldn't help but crack a smile.

He was wearing a pair of bright green pajama capris adorned with the little green men from Toy Story and a faded The Smiths t-shirt.

"Nice PJ's, Cupcake."

"Please." Rhys rolled his eyes. "I can't look cute all the time."

I beg to differ, Rhys.

Angel looked between them, smiling before clearing her throat. "Rhys, do you want to help me the blanket fort all set up while Dad finishes up in here?"

"Sure." Rhys smiled. "I didn't know there were going to be blanket forts."

"Yep, movie night tradition."

Jack shook his head, smiling to himself while he finished up the sink.

The pizza came right as Jack finished up the sink and Rhys and Angel finished the fort. Jack paid and tipped the deliverer and carried the trio of pizzas into the living room, setting them on the coffee table along with a stack of plates and paper towels.

"Looks great, you guys."

Angel smiled pinning up the last of the roof of the fort while Rhys held up the other end.

"Pizza is on the table, drinks are in the fridge, movies by the TV. I'm just gonna change before we get started."

"Sure thing." Rhys grinned before reaching to help Angel finish up the fort.

Jack went back to his room, shutting the door. He tugged on a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a black and yellow Hyperion t-shirt. Before long, he was crawling into the fort with Rhys and Angel, munching on a slice of peperoni and sipping a bottle of Guinness.

Rhys and Angel both had cans of Grape Crush, which Jack found adorable for some reason. Angel had chosen to play Juno first.

Jack was in the middle—Angel to his right with her head propped on her fist as she watched the movie, and Rhys to his right, sitting cross legged and munching on a slice of margherita.

He learned that Rhys wasn't much of a talker during movies, which was good, because he and Angel weren't either.

After Rhys finished a few slices then sat his plate to the side, sipping on his grape soda and tucking his head into Jack's shoulder. Jack reached over and squeezed his hand, smiling when Rhys nuzzled into him.

By the time the first movie was over, they'd all finished their food and drinks, depositing of plates and cans and bottles on the coffee table while Angel switched out the DVDs.

"Now, just because the first movie was all soft doesn't mean the second one is." Angel rocked back on her heels as the three of them laid back in the fort, getting comfortable.

"I thought the same person wrote them." Jack quirked a brow.

"Wide range." Angel smirked before laying down next to the two of them.

Jack nodded and the movie started. Angel was right, this movie was not soft. It wasn't bad, but it was…weird. Jack chewed the inside of his lip while he watched, trying to comprehend exactly what would inspire someone to write such a story. Childhood trauma, personal experience, or simply an interest in bands sacrificing virgins to Satan and it going horribly wrong? Jack couldn't be sure.

At some point, Rhys fell asleep, curled up at Jack's side, with his head on Jack's shoulder. Jack had his arm tucked against Rhys' back, rolling his thumb in little circles. Jack reached to tap his foot against Angel's to see if she was still awake. Angel tapped back.

They continued to watch the movie in silence, Rhys breathing softly in Jack's ear while he slept. Angel fell asleep sometime during the swimming pool scene, which Jack really didn't understand. How were either of them asleep? There was so much inhuman screaming in this movie, he didn't know how anyone could sleep through it.

When it was finally over, he reached over Angel for the remote and flicked the television and DVD player off. Thankfully, next movie night was his pick. Not that Diablo Cody night was horrible, but Jack decided he could do without boy-eating cheerleaders for a while. Maybe they could watch a few movies with Ryan Reynolds. Yeah, that would be fun. He could invite Rhys over again…what kinds of movies did Rhys like, anyways?

Jack slid out from between the two of them and gathered up empty bottles and soda cans, throwing them in the trash.

What if Rhys became a regular comer to movie night? Would he get a shift in picking movies, or would they have to start splitting? If they really wanted to, they could just try to start doing three movies on movie night instead of two.

Jack picked up the pizza boxes, consolidating down to one box before sliding the box into the fridge.

But if they did three instead of two, people would probably start to fall asleep. They could rotate what order the movies played in. Or they could start movie night earlier. That might work.

Jack picked up plates and carried them to the sink.

Would they always have movie night here, or would they have it a Rhys' place sometimes? Would Rhys even want him and Angel over, making a blanket fort in his expensive living room?

Jack sighed, starting up the sink and squeezing soap onto his sponge.

"Jack?"

He looked up to see Rhys crawling his way from the blanket fort before shuffling into the kitchen. "Is the movie over?"

"Yeah." Jack half-smiled, scrubbing a plate. "I think you fell asleep before the bar was even on fire."

"They went to a bar?" Rhys rubbed his eyes before coming in to stand next to Jack. "What else happened?"

"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. We'll just have to watch it some other time."

Rhys nodded before wrapping his arms around Jack's waist from behind, laying his head on Jack's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"Dishes. Did you have fun?"

Rhys nodded, yawning before nuzzling against Jack and squeezing him in a hug. "This was really nice. Angel's such a cool kid."

"She likes you, too, I think."

"I hoped she would."

Rhys pressed his mouth against the nape of Jack's neck. Jack almost dropped a plate. It took most of his concentration to place it properly in the drying rack next to the other two.

"Do you always get clingy when you're tired?"

Rhys laughed, kissing a bit further up the back of Jack's neck. "No, I'm always like this."

Jack set his hand on Rhys' hand, curling their fingers together.

Rhys stopped, setting his chin on Jack's shoulder. "Do you like it?"

Jack nodded. "More than I think I want to admit."

Rhys quirked an eyebrow before looping his arms around Jack's neck, standing in front of him now.

"Oh yeah?"

Jack bit his lip, sliding his hands down Rhys' back. "Yeah."

Their mouths were hot; Rhys' lips were soft and tasted a little bit like sleep. They took two steps back and Rhys bumped into the counter. Rhys gasped softly, pulling out to brush his nose against Jack's.

"Jack..." he half moans, digging his fingers into Jack's hair.

Jack lifts him onto the counter, biting against Rhys' throat. Rhys lets out a whine, digging his fingers into Jack's shoulder. Jack licks a stripe up his throat, biting into his earlobe. Rhys digs his heel into Jack's back, tipping his head back, his breath coming out in pants.

They're kissing again, Jack's hands on the counter, holding Rhys there, one hand on his thigh.

And he wants this, wants this, wants this.

Rhys opens his mouth, gently biting at Jack's lower lip. This time it's Jack's turn to whine. He pulls back, setting his head on Rhys' shoulder. Rhys runs his fingers through his hair, laughing softly.

"We should probably get some sleep." Jack says, kissing Rhys' jaw before taking a step back and sliding him down off the counter.

Rhys hears Angel snore softly in her sleep, and he understands.

"Okay." Rhys kisses Jack's cheek, squeezing his hand before pulling away. "You still want the middle?"

"As long as I'm next to you." Jack grins.


	9. Beast of Burden or To Be Alone

"Dad."

Jack woke up to Angel shaking his shoulder.

"Dad, wake up."

He blinked himself awake, looking up at Angel. She leaned over him, dressed with her back on her shoulder.

"I'm supposed to go to Mom's, remember?"

Jack reached next to him. Rhys wasn't there, but the blankets were still warm.

"Shit, what time is it?"

"Half past noon."

"I'm sorry, I can—"

He heard sizzling coming from the kitchen.

"It's fine. I'll take my bike. Just thought I'd wake you up before." Angel laughed before leaning in close, whispering. "Your boyfriend is in there making something that smells really good, and you better get up and go fawn over him before he gets the wrong idea."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Did you at least eat?"

"Yeah, I had some leftovers from the fridge." She kissed his forehead, straightening up. "Love you, Pop. See you next Sunday."

He sat up, craning his neck outside the blanket fort. "Love you too, kiddo."

He sighed, crawling out from the fort, scratching his head and walking into the kitchen.

"Oh, good, you're up." Rhys smiled over his shoulder, tending back to his skillet.

"What're you making?" Jack slid in behind him, wrapping his arms around Rhys' waist.

"Brunch." Rhys folded the omelet with his spatula. "Angel helped me find things in the fridge; I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. Smells great." He peppered a few kisses against Rhys' neck before nuzzling his chin back onto his shoulder.

"What all do you have in that?"

"Some cheese, some bacon. Dried green onions."

"I didn't know you could cook." He pulled himself back so Rhys could plate the omelet and start on the second.

Rhys laughed. "Sasha wanted to make sure I wouldn't be living off of frozens when she moved out here. I'm no pro, but I can take care of myself."

"Seems I'll have to thank her."

"Seems so."

Rhys finished the other omelet and slid it onto the other plate.

"Do you want some orange juice?"

Rhys nodded. "Sure."

Jack poured the glasses and Rhys brought the plates before they sat down next to each other.

Jack took a bite, eyes lighting up. "This is really good, Rhys."

Rhys chuckled, eating his own. "I'm glad you think so."

"It's good to know if you're lingerie business ever tanks, you could be a chef."

Rhys rolled his eyes. "Please, you've only had one thing I've made."

"Perhaps you'll have to cook for me again sometime. You probably wear a cute little apron at your place."

"Oh, yes." Rhys grinned. "It's black with white lace and frills."

"Oh, I would love to see that."

Rhys chuckled, tapping his foot against Jack's beneath the bar.

"Did you manage to sleep at all?"

Rhys nodded. "Yeah, I actually slept pretty good. You make a good pillow."

"I do?"

Rhys nodded, chewing on his omelet. "Nice and warm. I like your arms."

Jack swallowed. "My arms?"

"Mhm. You held onto me while you slept."

Jack felt is face flush. "How could I not?"

Rhys chuckled and they proceeded to eat their breakfast.

After, Jack gathered the dishes, putting them in the sink and turning on the tap, waiting for the water to warm.

"Well, this scene looks familiar." Rhys slid in behind him, wrapping his arms around Jack's middle. "Do you have to do dishes right now?"

"I was just—"

Rhys' hand brushed his thigh, and Jack's voice died in his throat.

"Rhys…"

"No, you can wash them now." Rhys smirked against the back of Jack's neck. "I'll wait."

Jack swallowed, squeezing soap into his sponge. Rhys flicked his tongue against the back of Jack's neck, blowing over it.

Jack grit his teeth, setting the first plate in the drying rack, trying to ignore the way Rhys was dragging his teeth up to the nape of his neck. He sat the second plate in the drying rack.

"Rhys."

"You're nearly there." Rhys' lips brushed Jack's ear, trailing his hand up beneath Jack's t-shirt.

Jack cinched his eyes shut for a moment and went to wash the skillet. Rhys' fingers were warm, trailing expertly up Jack's chest before sliding in a decisive path down his stomach and over the waistband of—

This time Jack actually did drop the skillet—soapy water splashing up over his arms. Rhys chucked, brushing his palm against Jack's cock again over his sweatpants.

"Jack, you're almost done."

"Rhys, I can't."

"Come on." Rhys bit Jack's earlobe gently. "Be a good boy and finish up the dishes. I'll reward you if you do."

Jack nodded weakly, taking hold of the skillet and scrubbing the bubbles away before rinsing it and putting it the rack. Now all he had left were the silverware and the glasses.

Rhys brushed over him again, a bit firmer. Jack's brow furrowed in concentration. He was panting by the time he finished.

Rhys chuckled, biting on the crown of Jack's neck gently, still brushing his clothed cock. "Someone's excited."

"Rhys…" Jack tried not to whine, leaning into Rhys' touches.

Rhys loosened his grip and Jack turned to face him.

Rhys raised his brows, sliding his hands up Jack's chest. "Should we continue where we left off last?"

Jack took hold of Rhys' hips drawing him in close. "I believe I was told I'd be rewarded."

Rhys chuckled walking them backwards a bit so he could press Jack to the wall. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Jack reached around, firmly gripping Rhys' ass. "You did."

It didn't take long for Rhys to rid Jack of his shirt, tugging it over his head and tossing it somewhere towards the living room. Jack shuddered, letting Rhys trail his hands over his chest and down his stomach.

Rhys leaned in, pressing his mouth against Jack's. Jack kissed back fiercely, pulling Rhys flush against him. Rhys moaned, wrapping his arms around Jack's shoulders. He rolled his hips against Jack's, loving the way he growled.

Jack bit down on Rhys' lower lip and Rhys pulled back, kissing down Jack's chin and onto his throat. His hand went back down to Jack's cock, rubbing gently through his sweatpants before hooking his thumb into the waistband and tugging them down.

Jack gasped, leaning back into the wall with a hard thud, letting the wall hold him up. Rhys kissed down Jack's hip, sinking down onto his knees and tugging Jack's pants down with him. He brushed his lips up Jack's thigh, splaying his palm open against his hip. Rhys licked up the shaft before taking the head into his mouth, looking up at Jack.

"Fuck." Jack's head thunked back into the wall, his hands sliding into Rhys' hair. Rhys hummed softly, rolling his tongue over the head.

Jack curled his fingers tightly in Rhys' locks, bringing his head down to look at Rhys as he hollowed out his cheek, taking in more.

If anyone could look smug with a cock in their mouth, it was Rhys. He didn't break his gaze with Jack, bobbing his head and sucking.

Jack felt his stomach tighten—coil clenching in his gut. He tightened his grip on Rhys' hair with one hand, gently pushing at his jaw in a warning. But Rhys just slapped Jack's hand away and pulled Jack further into his mouth until Jack saw stars.

His hands shook as Rhys swallowed around him, hands splayed against Jack's hips.

Jack let out a hard exhale, loosening his grip on Rhys' hair as he came up to nuzzle himself beneath Jack's jaw.

Jack wrapped his arm around Rhys' waist, still leaning back against the wall. The other hand ran through his hair, fingers delicately twining into his curls.

After a moment Rhys leaned up to kiss the corner of his mouth, cupping Jack's jaw, running his thumb along his chin.

Jack turned his head a bit, letting the two of them meld together in soft, gentle kisses. Rhys reached for the knob to Jack's bedroom door, twisting it open and tugging the two of them inside.

Their steps were slower—less urgent than before. They stopped at the center of the room, Jack's arm tucked around Rhys' waist—his sweatpants forgotten in the hall.

"Mmm…" Rhys pulled out of the kiss, brushing his nose up against Jack's. "I want you."

Jack opened his eyes, looking into Rhys face. He smirked, trailing his fingers through Rhys' hair. Rhys draped his arms around Jack's shoulders, pulling them closer to the bed.

"You have me."

The mattress squeaked softly as the two of them bounced onto it, mouths pressed together. Jack fit neatly between Rhys' thighs. He slid his hands up Rhys' t-shirt, pushing it over his head and off. Rhys leaned up, draping his arms around Jack's shoulders and pulling him back down for a kiss.

Rhys dug his heel into Jack's lower back, grinding his hips up against Jack's, and Jack swore he was half-hard again already. Part of him felt like he should be embarrassed, but a much stronger part of him refused to give a fuck.

Jack ground back against him, curling his fingers into the navy blue of his sheets. He felt Rhys pressing up against his stomach, also hard. He ground their hips together again and Rhys gasped against Jack's mouth.

"Please." Rhys whined, digging his nails in against Jack's shoulder.

Jack chuckled, sliding his hands down Rhys' sides so he could tug off his pants. Rhys' cock sprang free, already leaking a bit, pink and swollen. Rhys' face flushed and he arched his hips against Jack's again.

Jack was definitely hard now. God, Rhys was beautiful—tattoos splayed down one arm and across his pectoral, with his synthetic skin sliding down the other. His typically perfect hair was still a mess from sleeping, spilling out against Jack's pillow.

"How do you want to—"

Rhys flipped them over before Jack could finish his question, still straddling Jack's hips. He rolled their hips together again, leaning down to whisper in Jack's ear.

"Let me ride you."

Jack nodded, letting Rhys slide his fingers down his stomach. "L-Let me just…get you ready."

Rhys pushed his hair out of his eyes, watching as Jack reached into the nightstand. He set the condom on the pillow and slicked his fingers with lube, sliding them down between Rhys' legs. He eased one finger inside and Rhys gasped, rolling himself down onto Jack's fingers.

"More." Rhys gasps, sliding himself back up so Jack can ease in a second finger before he sinks back down, fucking himself against Jack's hand. He grinds himself down a bit more, letting Jack add a third finger and letting out a moan from the back of his throat.

Rhys reached for the condom, tearing the foil open with his teeth before rolling the condom onto Jack's dick.

"I'm good." Rhys eased himself up off Jack's fingers and repositioned himself.

"You're sure?"

Rhys nodded and sank himself down onto Jack, throwing his head back and gasping. Jack slid his hands of Rhys' sides, sitting up so he could kiss over Rhys' sternum. Rhys let him sit up for a moment before he placed his hands on Jack's chest and pushed him back down onto the bed and grinding his hips down.

"Oh, fuck." Jack gasped, reaching to curl his hand against Rhys'. Rhys knotted their hands together—his mechanical one in Jack's as he pressed it down next to Jack's head. Rhys' other hand splayed itself across Jack's stomach to hold himself steady so he could ride him.

He bounced against Jack, rolling and grinding his hips—throwing his head back when he finally angled himself so Jack was hitting just the right spot. Jack slid his hand up Rhys' thigh, trailing up until his fingers curled loosely around Rhys' cock, jacking him off to the pace he was riding him.

"Jack." Rhys panted. "Jack, I'm so close."

Jack nodded. He wouldn't last long either, still spent from before.

Rhys came in hot stripes against Jack's chest, his back arching as he moaned. Jack came soon after, one hand squeezing Rhys' hand, and the other gripping at his thigh.

The two of them laid there in their sweaty tangle, Rhys panting against Jack's shoulder, curling and uncurling his fingers against Jack's chest. Jack kept his hand splayed against Rhys' back, stroking a dip in his skin with his thumb.

"That was—"

"Amazing." Jack finished for him, turning to look at Rhys. Rhys smiled up at him, leaning up to brush his mouth against Jack's.

Rhys closed his eyes, curling against Jack with his whole body. "Did you have any plans for today?"

"Not really." Jack sighed, keeping his arms around Rhys. Sundays are my days off, so I usually avoid doing much of anything unless Angel wants to, and she left for her mom's so…"

"Good." Rhys nuzzled down. "Because I don't think I'll be letting you out of this bed anytime soon."

Jack chuckled. "I don't mind, cupcake. This is really nice."

Rhys got quiet for a bit, just keeping his eyes closed, letting Jack trail his hand up and down his back. After a bit, he blinked, tipping his head up and nuzzling his chin against Jack's chest so he could look at him.

"Jack?"

Jack raised his brows in response, eyes closed.

"Before, when I said I wanted you…and you said that I had you…was that just, like, sex talk, or…?"

Jack opened his eyes and Rhys was still looking at him; he didn't look nervous.

"I meant what I said. If you'll have me that is. I know I'm not all that impressive or—"

Rhys cut him off with a kiss before curling back up against Jack. "Shut up, you're great."

Jack tipped his head up, pressing a kiss into Rhys' hair. "Not as great as you."

Rhys chuckled. "So you aren't, like, seeing anyone else right now?"

"Just you."

"Okay."

"Are you, seeing anyone else, I mean?"

Rhys shook his head. "Perhaps we could keep it that way?"

Jack tangled his fingers up in Rhys' hair. "I think I'd like that."


End file.
